14 Reentry and OBB support for Alumni

Students face many challenges and psychological tolls when exiting prison, including finding a place to live and a job, readjusting to freedom of choice, and processing long-lasting mental health impacts due to earlier trauma and incarceration. They are doing all this in a general environment of stigma and discrimination.

OBB supports students who have completed our classes and want to continue their education after they are released from prison. We can help with transferring credits and applying to programs at UW-Madison and other schools. Students can access this service by writing a paper letter to OBB from inside prison, or by calling or emailing OBB once they are released from prison. OBB contact information is provided to students during the first week of class. If students have lost this contact information, they can find it on our webpage or request that DOC education staff retrieve it from our webpage for them. Instructors and tutors should encourage students nearing release to take advantage of this service.

The Education Justice Project at the University of Illinois provides comprehensive resources to support their students upon reentry, and many of these resources are applicable in Wisconsin.